WHEN YOUR AREA IS UNDER A TORNADO WARNING, OR IF YOU SEE A TORNADO
APPROACHING, YOU SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY! MOST INJURIES
ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH WINDS ARE FROM FLYING DEBRIS, SO REMEMBER TO
PROTECT YOUR HEAD. THE FOLLOWING ARE SAFETY TIPS FOR SEEKING
SHELTER DURING HIGH WINDS AND TORNADOES.

IF YOU ARE IN A STRUCTURE SUCH AS A RESIDENCE, SMALL BUILDING,
SCHOOL, NURSING HOME, HOSPITAL, FACTORY, SHOPPING CENTER, OR
HIGH-RISE BUILDING:
* GO TO A PRE-DESIGNATED AREA SUCH AS A SAFE ROOM, BASEMENT, STORM
CELLAR, OR THE LOWEST BUILDING LEVEL. IF THERE IS NO BASEMENT, GO
TO THE CENTER OF A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST LEVEL (SUCH
AS A CLOSET, BATHROOM, OR INTERIOR HALLWAY) AWAY FROM CORNERS,
WINDOWS, DOORS, AND OUTSIDE WALLS. PUT AS MANY WALLS AS POSSIBLE
BETWEEN YOU AND THE OUTSIDE. GET UNDER A STURDY TABLE AND USE YOUR
ARMS TO PROTECT YOUR HEAD AND NECK.
* IN A HIGH-RISE BUILDING, GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM OR HALLWAY ON
THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE.
* DO NOT OPEN WINDOWS.

IF YOU ARE IN A MANUFACTURED HOME OR OFFICE:
* GET OUT IMMEDIATELY AND GO TO A PRE-IDENTIFIED LOCATION SUCH AS
THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY, NEARBY BUILDING OR A STORM SHELTER.
MOBILE HOMES, EVEN IF TIED DOWN, OFFER LITTLE PROTECTION FROM
TORNADOES.

IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE WITH NO SHELTER AVAILABLE, THERE IS NO SINGLE
RESEARCH-BASED RECOMMENDATION FOR WHAT LAST-RESORT ACTION TO TAKE,
BECAUSE MANY FACTORS CAN AFFECT YOUR DECISION. POSSIBLE ACTIONS
INCLUDE:
* IMMEDIATELY GET INTO A VEHICLE, BUCKLE YOUR SEAT BELT AND TRY TO
DRIVE TO THE CLOSEST STURDY SHELTER. IF YOUR VEHICLE IS HIT BY
FLYING DEBRIS WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING, PULL OVER AND PARK AND COVER
YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR ARMS AND A BLANKET, COAT OR OTHER CUSHION IF
POSSIBLE.
* LIE IN AN AREA NOTICEABLY LOWER THAN THE LEVEL OF THE ROADWAY AND
COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR ARMS AND A BLANKET, COAT OR OTHER
CUSHION IF POSSIBLE.
* DO NOT GET UNDER AN OVERPASS OR BRIDGE. YOU ARE SAFER IN A LOW,
FLAT LOCATION.
* NEVER TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO IN URBAN OR CONGESTED AREAS IN A CAR
OR TRUCK. INSTEAD, LEAVE THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY FOR SAFE SHELTER.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS A WEB SITE
DEVOTED TO TORNADO PREPAREDNESS TIPS FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS. ALL
SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND ADMINISTRATORS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VISIT THIS WEB
SITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THEY CAN PREPARE A TORNADO SAFETY PLAN
FOR THEIR SCHOOL. THAT WEB SITE IS:
WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FAQ/TORNADO/SCHOOL.HTML.

WHILE HAIL AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS GENERALLY DO NOT GARNER THE SAME
ATTENTION OR RESPECT AS TORNADOES, THEY CAN BE JUST AS DEADLY! HAIL
CAN EXCEED THE SIZE OF SOFTBALLS AND FALL AT SPEEDS OF OVER 100 MPH,
SERIOUSLY INJURING OR KILLING ANYONE IN ITS PATH. STRAIGHT-LINE
WINDS CAN TOPPLE TREES ONTO CARS, HOUSES, AND POWER LINES. MANY
DEATHS FROM STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS ARE THE RESULT OF TREES FALLING ONTO
THE PERSON, WHETHER THEY ARE OUTSIDE, IN THEIR HOUSE, OR DRIVING IN
THEIR CAR. STRONG STRAIGHT-LINE WIND EVENTS CAN EVEN DESTROY
BUILDINGS, ESPECIALLY MOBILE HOMES AND MANUFACTURED HOMES.

WHEN DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE THUNDERSTORM WINDS OR LARGE HAIL ARE
EXPECTED, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL ISSUE A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING. WHEN A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS ISSUED
FOR YOUR AREA, OR WHEN THREATENING THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH YOUR AREA,
YOU SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY! TO STAY SAFE DURING HIGH
WINDS, THE SAME SAFETY RULES THAT ARE USED FOR TORNADOES ALSO APPLY
DURING STRAIGHT-LINE WIND EVENTS, NAMELY, YOU SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IN
AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING OR SHELTER,
GET AWAY FROM WINDOWS, AND GET DOWN LOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM
POSSIBLE FLYING DEBRIS AND FALLING TREES. DURING LARGE HAIL
SITUATIONS, YOU SHOULD MOVE INDOORS AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
WIND-BLOWN HAIL CAN SHATTER WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE DRIVING DURING A
LARGE HAIL EPISODE, PULL OVER INTO A PARKING LOT OR GAS STATION AND
USE BLANKETS OR COATS TO COVER YOURSELF IN CASE THE WINDSHIELD
SHATTERS AND HAIL ENTERS THE VEHICLE.

BE SURE TO TAKE SOME TIME THIS WEEK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SEVERE
WEATHER SAFETY. LEARNING AND PRACTICING SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY WHEN
THE WEATHER IS GOOD WILL ALLOW YOU TO REACT MORE QUICKLY WHEN THE
WEATHER TURNS BAD. YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY
BY VISITING THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
PREPAREDNESS WEBSITE AT READYNC.ORG. THIS WEB PAGE FEATURES AN
ABUNDANCE OF INFORMATION, AND LINKS TO A FREE CELL PHONE APP, THAT
WILL HELP YOU PLAN AND PREPARE FOR THE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON.
ONCE AGAIN, THAT’S READYNC.ORG.

Flood Watch National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC 425 AM EST Thu Dec 20 2018 …HEAVY RAIN EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE REGION TODAY INTO FRIDAY… .Rainfall is currently occurring across eastern North Carolina, and will become heavy at times later today into Friday. The heaviest showers and thunderstorms will occur late this evening through […]

Share this:

Flood Watch National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC 332 PM EST Fri Dec 14 2018 …HEAVY RAINS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON… .Heavy rain showers and possibly a few thunderstorms will continue to spread eastward across the area this afternoon and will last through tomorrow afternoon. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 […]

Share this:

Tropics

WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION FOR WATCH 409 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC 544 PM EDT THU OCT 11 2018 NCC055-095-177-187-120100- /O.CON.KMHX.TO.A.0409.000000T0000Z-181012T0100Z/ TORNADO WATCH 409 REMAINS VALID UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN NORTH CAROLINA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 4 COUNTIES IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA DARE HYDE TYRRELL WASHINGTON THIS INCLUDES THE […]

Share this:

Hurricane Michael made landfall earlier today near Mexico Beach, FL with estimated maximum wind speed at landfall around 155 mph. As I made note in my other post, some of the recorded wind speeds that have been able to be reported showed wind gusts reaching as much as 129 mph. There was another report of […]